09/02/2026
Congratulations to Alicia Gerke, MD, MBA, and Alejandro A. Pezzulo, MD, who earned a new R01 from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to study pulmonary sarcoidosis. The five-year, $3.8 million award will investigate environmental factors that cause or worsen the disease.
Sarcoidosis is a systemic inflammatory disease that can cause severe lung inflammation and fibrosis, leading to lung transplant or death. Current treatments are limited in their effectiveness and cause negative side effects.
Specific molecules on the surface of airborne particles like pollen, mold, and bacteria are suspected to trigger sarcoidosis, but right now, scientists don’t know exactly why. Gerke and Pezzulo hypothesize that it may be exposures in people’s homes and other day-to-day environments. The researchers will analyze household particles and their relationships to patients' symptoms and outcomes to expand our understanding of how this disease works.
“Until we understand what those factors are and how they impact disease course, we will continue to be limited in finding a cure or a way to prevent the disease,” Gerke says.
